Wimbledon officials continue plans for June championships

Wimbledon officials on Tuesday said they are continuing plans for the grasscourt major to start on June 29 as scheduled even though French Open organizers postponed the claycourt Grand Slam to September due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The French tennis federation postponed the event held at Roland Garros until Sept 20-Oct 4 from its May start, with the new dates colliding with numerous events on the scheduled global tennis calendar.

The All England Club said it will close the museum in its grounds, which is open all year, and other facilities following the British government’s recommendation to avoid unnecessary gatherings.

“While we continue to plan for The Championships at this time, it remains a continuously evolving situation and we will act responsibly, in the best interests of wider society,” All England Club chief executive Richard Lewis said in a statement.

The men’s ATP Tour had previously announced a six-week suspension due to the pandemic that has ground global sport to a halt while the WTA, which runs the women’s tournaments, had postponed events till May 2. The International Tennis Federation has also suspended all its events, including next month’s newly-launched Fed Cup finals in Budapest.